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Pitt Meadows rave rape charge dropped

The property where an alleged rape took place at a rave party took place in Pitt Meadows.

Photograph by: Google Street
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VANCOUVER - The Crown dropped a sex assault charge this morning connected to allegations that a teen was raped at a rave in Pitt Meadows in September, 2010.

The Crown stayed the charge five days before the trial of the accused, Colton Ashton McMorris, 19.

The Crown entered a stay of proceedings after reviewing all the evidence and concluding that there was not a substantial likelihood of conviction - the standard necessary for Crown to continue a prosecution, Crown spokesman Neil MacKenzie said today.

"This case was assigned to an experienced prosecutor who conducted a thorough assessment of the available evidence and interviewed numerous potential witnesses," he explained.

"Having reviewed all the evidence currently available, the Criminal Justice Branch has concluded that there is not a substantial likelihood of conviction," MacKenzie added.

"Crown took into account all the available evidence, including forensic evidence and evidence from individuals who were at the event in question," he said.

"In all the circumstances of the case, it would not be appropriate for the branch to discuss the specifics of the potential evidence or issues that were considered, however the branch concluded the evidence does not support proceeding with the charge against Mr. McMorris."

The rave rape incident involved a 16-year-old girl and was allegedly watched by a group of young people.

One of them allegedly took a video of the incident, which was posted online by another person.

The teen who videotaped the sex assault was sentenced earlier this month in Port Coquitlam Provincial Court to 12 months of probation.

The youth, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, pleaded guilty in December to making and distributing obscene material.

In addition to probation, the youth must write an essay about the dangers and abuses that can result if social networking is used without any thought, care, caution or diligence.

The essay also must include a letter of apology to the victim, who was devastated by the video being posted online and was forced to leave school after she was bullied.

"Thank you to everyone who has been there to help me through this terrible ordeal," the girl wrote shortly after the incident. "But to the people who did not support me, who called me names, who spread lies about me: Thank you, because you made me much stronger than I've ever been before.".

Dennis John Allen Warrington, 20, of Langley still faces a count of production and distribution of child pornography. His trial is expected next fall.